“Conor Benn throws a bold jab at Ryan Garcia, saying ‘Just because you eat burritos and tacos’ while talking about their rocky relationship.”
Conor Benn didn’t hold back when asked about the real reason behind his bad blood with his big rival, Ryan Garcia. Early Sunday morning, British boxer Benn has a shot at making history by going for his first world title, challenging the current WBC welterweight champ, Garcia.
Before the fight, they’ve often clashed both online and at press events. Benn opened up in an exclusive chat with SPORTbible about why he thinks Garcia is so upset with him. Their feud seems to have started long before the fight was set, after one of Garcia’s rivals grabbed him at an awards show while Garcia’s wife watched. Since then, things have heated up, with security stepping in at Fanatics Fest in July 2026 and at the pre-fight press conference.
At the heart of their fight is Benn questioning Garcia’s Mexican roots, while Garcia proudly embraces his Mexican-American background. Benn says Garcia’s connection to Mexico is more for show, and that’s what really annoys the WBC champ. “I think he’s just upset that more people connect with me than him. He wants to be liked,” Benn told SPORTbible. “He wants to be this and that, but honestly, I feel like he’s mad because I’m more Mexican than him. Just eating burritos and tacos doesn’t make you Mexican.”
Since the fight is happening over Mexican Independence Day weekend, Garcia’s heritage will definitely be a big talking point when they step into the ring Sunday morning in Las Vegas. But that’s not all fans can expect—Benn shared exactly how he plans to approach the fight once it starts at the T-Mobile Arena.
“If you’ve ever watched me fight, you know I get straight to work. I’m going right at it,” he said. “It’s 36 minutes that could change your life. Imagine someone telling you, you have 36 minutes to get it right.”
This is Benn’s first shot at a world title, and the pressure is bigger than ever. With his dad, legendary British boxer Nigel Benn, also having held a WBC title, it’s understandable if the pressure feels intense. But Benn says it only makes him push harder.
“I’ve had pressure all my career—from two big fights with Eubank to stadium shows with everything on the line, including my family name. There’s always pressure, but I see pressure as a privilege.”
Garcia and Benn will walk into the ring at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas at around 4:00am BST.
You can watch Conor Benn take on Ryan Garcia live this Saturday, September 12, in the U.S. on Paramount+, and in the U.K. and Ireland via DAZN pay-per-view or a DAZN Ultimate Tier subscription.